


The Memory Box

by Notmarysue



Series: PoPS 30 Day Prompt challenge [9]
Category: The Platoon of Power Squadron (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Memories, Post-Series, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2018-12-23 07:52:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11985477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Notmarysue/pseuds/Notmarysue
Summary: In attempt to distract herself from the recent chaos, Virginia decides to clean the apartment top to bottom. When the vacuum snags on something underneath Jonas' bed she can't help but be curious.PoPS 30 Day Prompt Challenge Day 9: 'She'd always wondered what she would find under there'





	The Memory Box

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EverythingHurtsAndImDying](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EverythingHurtsAndImDying/gifts).



> As always if you're finding this in the tags and want to know what this PoPS thing is all about copy this into your search bar and start watching: https://youtu.be/solv0G2UQcs

2009 was a rough year for everyone in the PoPS gang. In fact, it was a rough year for everyone who went anywhere near them. With a mixture of deaths, near deaths, and resurrections it was surprising nobody ended up having a heart attack. So when everything finally came to a halt in early 2010 they all quickly scattered to find seperate coping mechanisms. Virginia came up with several. She knitted more than she ever had before, she started drawing, and she attempted something no one in the apartment ever had before. She tried spring cleaning.

Cleaning was a rare event in the apartment, it was almost a swear word, but that's what made it perfect. There was so much do to that it would easily take up an entire day. She dusted, she polished, she'd considered filling in the many holes in the wall but decided it wasn't worth it. Unfortunately, she was a little too efficient. She'd finished with the communal areas and her own room in less than an hour. So she started asking whether other people required her cleaning services. Apparently, that was everyone. 

"Hey Jonas, I'm tidying up. Do you want me to vacuum your room?" she asked.

"Hmm? Oh yeah sure" he replied, only half paying attention. He was locked into an intense game of Super Smash Bros against Sebastian and was losing badly. He couldn't afford to be distracted.

Virginia dragged the vacuum into his room and struggled with the socket. It always felt like everything in there was awkwardly placed. She had to twist the cord just to plug it. She didn't think it would take very long. It was only a small room, that was the reason he chose it. His official excuse was that he felt more comfortable in small, isolated places. In reality, everyone knew it was to avoid sharing a room with Donald. 

There was a hard jerk as the vacuum hit something solid under the bed. Instantly curious, she switched off the machine and knelt down. She reached her hand down blindly and fished around in the darkness. After a few seconds, her fingers hit the sharp corners of a box. She coiled them around and pulled it out into the open.

The box was small and wooden. It would have looked rather elegant if it wasn't for the stickers. It looked as if it was decorated by a young boy, covered in tiny pictures of cars and footballs. On the top, in shiny blue gel pen, were the words 'Jonas' memory box'.

Virginia opened it with ease. The lock on the lid didn't even function. Inside was an array of items. A dirty Superman action figure, postcards from several past holidays, and the pristine pages of an unfinished comic. She instantly recognised it as something he'd made for her. It was meant to be a surprise birthday gift but he'd started procrastinating and she'd found out anyway. They'd repeatedly told each other they'd work on it as a team and while they'd made some progress life kept getting in the way.

At the bottom, buried under all of the mementos, was a leather bound book. It clearly hadn't been touched in years if the dust was anything to go by and the front was covered in small scratches. She went to open it but before she could there was a sudden noise behind her that caused her to jump and drop it. She turned to see Jonas, stood in the doorway, clearing his throat. 

"You know if you wanted to look in there you could have just asked" he commented.

"I was just-" she struggled to come up with a valid explanation but failed miserably.

"Do you like the box? My grandad gave it to me. Of course, I instantly ruined it with my decorating skills" he continued as he came to join her.

"What's in the book?" She asked curiously. 

"Oh you're going to love this" he sat on the floor cross legged and took the book out of her hands. "Are you ready for some cringe?"

"Always" she smiled. He opened up to reveal the words 'scrapbook' scribbled in the same blue pen. Underneath was his age, crossed out and rewritten as the years went on, starting at seven and being last updated six years ago at 21. 

He flipped through the pages, beautifully crafted with stickers and doddles. Young Jonas clearly loved his gel pens. On everyone was a picture, loosely stuck down with alternating celotape and pritt stick. 

"Oh look here's me dressed as batman" he pointed at a picture of himself aged eight in a store brought batman costume that was clearly several sizes top big. The sleeves bunched up and the torso almost hung off. The only thing that fit was the mask and it didn't suit him at all. The black stood at from his light hair like crazy and his put on brooding face looked more like a temper tantrum pout.

"Was it Halloween?" Asked Virginia. 

"Nope," Jonas smiled. They continued forwards. As it turns out that it wasn't the only dress up photo in there. For someone who bucked so stubbornly against being a superhero, he sure seemed like pretending to be them. Of course, they weren't the only pictures in there. It also contained memories of birthdays, family outings, his first day at high school. It would be easy to mistake him for a normal boy.

"There's a page missing," Virginia noticed. Rough strips of paper stuck out like a sore thumb. Clearly, something had been torn out quite aggressively.

"Yeah that page had pictures of one of my exes on it" he commented sadly. "Messy breakup" he added. Virginia nodded silently. She knew better than to pry about these things. "Hey, here's my old band" he grinned as he spotted a photograph of his seventeen-year-old self alongside three other teenagers. His hair was so long and greasy back then. He was pretty sure he just forgot to cut it.

"You were in a band?" Virginia couldn't really imagine Jonas in a band. Although, she couldn't imagine him as a teenager either. It was so hard to think about what people would be like before they met.

"Yeah, we called it the Full Metal Alchemist" he remembered fondly.

"Full Metal Alchemist? Like the anime?" She laughed.

"Okay, the manga didn't come out until 2001. They stole that from us" he quickly replied. Half joking, half defensive. "It lasted four sessions. I was lead vocals. Then they realised I couldn't sing so I got moved to lead guitar"

"You can't play guitar either" Virginia commented.

"Can too. I'll prove it" 

"Prove it how?" She asked. Nobody in the apartment played a musical instrument, something she was incredibly grateful for. 

"I know a guy" he jumped to his feet, threw the book on the bed, and headed to the door.

"Where are you going?" She called after him.

"I'll be back before you know I'm gone" he answered without stopping. Virginia shrugged. It looked like it was going to be one of those afternoons. She decided against chasing after him. Instead she placed the book back in the box, slid it underneath the bed, and continued vacuuming.


End file.
